As a young woman studying at Brigham Young University, Kim Atkins joined her college professor's polygamous splinter group of the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and moved into the desert. They traveled the country recruiting members while she had two sons. One of her sons, David, joins the conversation to discuss how his father controlled others by using the idea of God to create fear and intimidation. This is how he controlled the cult and abused his family. Kim and David join Rachel to discuss spending two decades in this "small, cultic, familial organization".
Stay tuned, Before You Go: Rachel speaks about an especially insidious form of gaslighting and manipulation. Abusers can act as controlling saviors, helping their victims with their problems on the condition that they understand that "nobody else will be able to help them". By isolating their victims from the support of friends, peers, and family, predators can control their targets' lives much more easily.
